The removal of bone abnormalities, such as bunions, is a common surgical procedure. With nearly all surgical techniques, simplicity and accuracy of the procedure and minimization of non-aesthetically pleasing scarring are desired. However, conventional bone abnormality removal procedures, such as various planing techniques, are very complex and typically leave large, unpleasant scars.
For example, conventional planing techniques require the overlaying tissue to be folded back and secured prior to planing the bone. Such techniques enhance the complexity of the procedure and result in large incisions, which lead to large scars and longer, more painful recovery.
Following the removal of bone abnormalities from a bone, commonly the bone is at least slightly deformed or misaligned. Accordingly, bone alignment procedures may be necessary to correct such deformities or misalignment. Conventional procedures for aligning bones require an osteotomy of cutting of the bone into two segments, moving one bone segment into a more proper alignment with the other bone segment, and fixating the moved bone segment relative to the other bone segment for a period of time to induce tissue growth between and reattachment of the aligned segments. Although conventional osteotomy procedures for correcting misaligned bones are common, they suffer from several shortcomings. For example, maintaining the relative rotational position of the bone segments while moving the segments into alignment is particularly difficult. Conventional procedures are prone to allowing such relative rotation of the bone segments during the moving step. Also, most conventional osteotomy and realignment procedures do not provide an accurate and reliable method for fixating the bone segments once moved into alignment.